The effort to replace lead service lines has dragged on for too long, as utility companies and local governments pass the buck year after year. Meanwhile, families are still drinking and cooking with lead-contaminated water.
No child should be robbed of their future due to lead poisoning. But children, especially children of color, are facing life-long impacts from lead contamination including brain damage.
There is widespread support for addressing this issue, so now is the time to push hard for the EPA to fix some serious problems with its proposal.
Here’s what we are calling for: - Requiring schools and childcare centers to test and replace fountains, faucets, and plumbing where lead is present.
- Requiring water systems – not impacted communities – to pay the full costs of removing the entire lead service line.
-
Not allowing some water systems to get extensions well beyond 10 years to replace their lead pipes – in fact, possibly from 40-50 years.
Even with its faults, this policy will be the biggest step to address lead contamination in water in the nation’s history. And the only reason it’s this strong is because of the widespread public support for ending lead poisoning once and for all.
The federal government is listening – if we all raise our voices again, we can demand that the EPA fix these flaws in its policy so that no one is left behind. Please, tell the EPA to move forward with the strongest lead rule possible.
Thanks for being part of this!
Tim Hayes
Policy Analyst
Conservation Voters of PA |
